Return to the Place Where We First Met
by XamemegamiX
Summary: That fateful day...After three years, three long years of waiting, Kagome was finally back in the feudal era! Join the journey as everyone once again gets to see their beloved friend, and love, return back home to the feudal era, for good.
1. Kagome

This story was inspired by my gorgeous and lovely roomie, Brittany!

Also, I own none of the characters!

The Return

"Congratulations!" Cheers rang up from the large crowd gathered as graduation caps were flung carelessly into the air. Laugher filled the air as families and recent graduated conversed freely in the warm spring air.

"Kagome!" Three young women shouted out together as they caught glimpse of their friend. It was amazing to all three of them that she even made it through to graduation, after how sick she seemed to be. But three years ago, she almost never got sick again. She had nothing but a simple winter cold from then on out.

"Ah!" Kagome looked up in surprise from her spot beside her family. Her raven hair was now down to her waist and her brown eyes shone with pure delight. _I can't believe it. I'm actually graduation high school! I didn't think I'd make it, not after…_ The miko's smile wavered a bit and she quickly pushed the thought about her past from her mind.

"Good afternoon, ma'am," said Yuka, bowing slightly to Kagome's mother. The older woman smiled warmly.

"Congratulations, graduating," she said as she smiled at each of Kagome's friends in turn. Eri and Ayumi smiled broadly in response.

"You all got into college, didn't you?" Kagome continued smiling when she thought of her future. She didn't even bother applying to any colleges. Something didn't feel right about having a future in this era. She knew where she belonged, and it was 500 years in the past.

"Oh, congratulations!" Mrs. Higuraishi continued to smile brightly. She knew full well why her daughter didn't apply to any colleges along with her friends. Even though they had never talked about it, she always knew what her daughter planned to do after she finished high school. Her heart ached when she remembered the painful look in her daughter's eyes for the month after she had learned that she couldn't return to the past, and more importantly, to a certain hanyou boy.

"I'm going to be an interpretator!" Ayumi exclaimed cheerily.

"I'm going to be an announcer," Yuka added in, smiling proudly.

"Well, you better be 'Miss Campus' first," Eri added with a chuckle. Kagome continued to smile at her friends. _It's been three years since then._

* * *

_Three days after the well on this side disappeared…the well reappeared in a pillar of light, and I returned with Inuyasha. _

_"Kagome!" "Nee-Chan!" "Kagome!" _

_My family was there. I was worried I would never see them again. And from the relieved looks on their faces, it was obvious that the well disappearing had them worried too. _

_"Mama!" I had thrown myself into my mother's arms and couldn't stop that tears that had begun to fall from my eyes. _

_"Kagome, we were so worried," gramps had said solemnly while Souta just nodded in disbelief. _

_"Inuyasha saved me. Inuyasha, thank…" The words had caught in my throat as I saw him standing still in the pillar of light that was coming out of the well. The look on his face was one of sadness, yet understanding. I didn't realize it then, but I understood as well. _

_The well was closing. I wouldn't be able to travel to his era anymore. And I wasn't ready to leave my family behind._

_"Inuyasha!" I had yelled his name, running to the lip of the well as it seemed to swallow him up forever. Forever. I couldn't bear to be apart from him forever. "Inuyasha!" I fell to my knees at the side of the well, tears streaming down my face. I could hear mama, Souta, and gramps crying as well. But they were crying out of relief that I was home. I was crying because I would be trapped at home forever._

_

* * *

_

"Kagome?" Eri repeated her friend's name again. Kagome blinked rapidly to clear her thoughts.

"Mmm, yes?" Kagome forced her thoughts back to the present.

"Would you like to come out with us for some celebratory drinks?" Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were all staring at her expectantly. Kagome looked between them and her family. Her fate was clear to her. There was no sense in lingering here in this era any longer.

"I'm sorry, but my family and I have plans." She felt bad about lying, but Kagome didn't want to delay the inevitable. Giving each of her friends a tight hug, Kagome said goodbye. Her friends thought it was just for the moment, but the young woman knew that it would be for good. _How do I know this? Isn't the well closed for good?_

Losing herself once more to her thoughts, Kagome silently followed her family to the car and back to the shrine house.

* * *

_The reason the well won't connect is probably because of my feelings. _Kagome thought as she stood silently by the dark well. She clasped her hands tightly in front of her graduation skirt and stared fearfully into the dark abyss of the well.

_When the bone eater's well disappeared and I was plunged into that darkness, I was so scared and sad. _Kagome shivered just remembering the all-consuming darkness.

_But I didn't know that I had been in the darkness for three days. And that made mama, gramps, and Souta sad as well. I felt terrible and was so happy to return home. _

_And then the well closed._ Kagome rested her fisted hands on the edge of the worn well. It was so familiar to her. She couldn't count the number of times that she had climbed onto this very ledge and leapt into the darkness.

Darkness. Is that what scared her so much? Guilt flooded her when she thought about how she didn't even know for sure if the well was closed or not. She had been too afraid of the dark to even try jumping down it. _But it must be sealed. Otherwise Inuyasha would have come for me by now…wouldn't he? _

_Inuyasha. I've thought about you all the time since then. The reason I went to the feudal era…the reason the sacred jewel disappeared and the reason well stopped working…what I had to do is done. And now I am forever in my…this world. _Kagome mentally corrected herself. This wasn't her world. She left her heart behind in the feudal era. With all of her friends. With her hanyou…with Inuyasha.

_A world without Inuyasha. Inuyasha…I want to be with you. _Kagome gasped suddenly as a strange feeling flooded her. It was coming from within the well! Her brown eyes opened suddenly as the strange feeling turned into a familiar one. A tingling sensation rippled through her. She shivered slightly.

"Kagome? What's wrong? " Her mother was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her daughter. Her one and only daughter that had been dealt a very strange hand of fate indeed. Kagome's mother knew what was coming. She could see the haunted look in her daughter's eye, the look that spoke volumes. The well was open once more.

"Mama.." Kagome continued to stare deep into the well. Without saying a word, Kagome's mother joined her daughter before the well. They held each other silently. This was the way it had always been. They knew what was going on without speaking. Kagome's mother put on a brave face, even though she knew.

She knew that she was about to never see her daughter again.

"Mama, I'm…" Kagome struggled with the right words to say. Her mother simply held her tighter. Tears once more fell down the miko's face.

"Kagome…" Mrs. Higuraishi refused to let the tears that she felt building in the back of her eyes fall. It would make things even harder for her daughter. She knew that Kagome hadn't been herself since Inuyasha had disappeared down the well and it had closed off. As much as she loved her daughter and wanted to be able to stay, she knew that it wasn't possible.

Kagome knew. She knew that the well was open once more, just by the sheer feeling that she was getting. _Did it even ever close off in the first place? Or was I just too afraid to try. I didn't want to leave my family…_

The young adult found herself smiling. She was ready now. Kagome was ready to take that leap. It was time to leave the future and head into the past; the past was where her real future belonged. _Inuyasha, I'm coming home._

Pulling herself out of her mother's embrace, Kagome looked into the older woman's eyes. Her mother met her face with a smile.

"Well, dear, did you want to say goodbye to Grandpa and Souta, or would that be too painful for you?" Kagome's smile shined as tears continued to pour down her face. She was saying hello to a new part of her life, but it meant saying goodbye to everyone that she held dear in this time era. _I know that once I go through, the well will never work again. _She didn't know exactly how she knew that was true; she just did.

"I think it would just be easier if I left…right away," Kagome finally decided. Saying goodbye to everybody would only make things harder in the end. Her mother nodded, as one tear escaped her and rolled down her face. Kagome frowned and her resolve wavered. _Will I be able to handle never seeing my family again? _

"Don't worry about us, dear. We will miss you, that is for sure, but I will be happier knowing that you are happy. Tell Inuyasha that he has our full blessings," Mrs. Higuraishi said as she gripped her daughter's shoulders in comfort. Seeing the unsure look on her daughter's face, she continued. "We all want nothing but your happiness, Kagome. Now, go. Go and be with the one you love."

Kagome nodded solidly, the resolution in her heart was unbreakable now. She turned from her mother and looked down into the well once more. _It's so dark…_Fear flooded her once more as she gripped the worn wood on the lip of the well and gazed down into the dark abyss. She jumped slightly when she felt her mother's hands on her shoulders once more.

"You can do it, Kagome. Remember that I love you always," she whispered to her one and only daughter. Kagome nodded once before climbing onto the lip of the well. It seemed so familiar that she almost forgot that three years had passed since she had done this. _Three long years…what if he has forgotten me? What if he has moved on?_ Doubt crept into her heart, clinging lightly like long-forgotten spider webs. Kagome sat on the lip of the well, her feet dangling over the darkness. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you, mom. Tell Gramps and Souta that I love them too. I'll miss you all!" It was now or never. Without turning around and sparing a second glance, Kagome took a deep breath. And then she pushed with her arms, propelling herself into the well.

The familiar blue light swam around her and Kagome let out the breath that she had been holding. It worked! The miko let out a triumphant cheer as she made her way back to the past. She was on her way home. She quelled the doubts that Inuyasha had moved on or, worse, had found someone else to love. It seemed to be forever until her feet finally touched down on the floor of the well. The well that was located in the past.

Kagome's heart beat painfully in her chest as the rich smells of the forest filtered into her nose. She quickly whipped the tears off of her face. _I don't want him to see my like this. Not when I haven't seen him in three years. _

Her mind floated back to the past three years. They were so unbelievable lonely. Some nights she didn't think that she would make it. She spent every moment of her time studying and immersing herself in finishing high school. It helped her slightly by keeping her mind busy so that she couldn't think of the past. The only thing that kept her going was her hope and faith that the well would open for her again…if it had even closed in the first place.

For some reason, she suddenly knew. She knew that he would be waiting for her. Smiling once more, the young miko grabbed onto vines that had long over grown the inside of the well. It was an easy climb. Kagome felt time start to move more slowly as she got closer and closer to the top of the well. It was an easy climb. She kept grabbing vines, moving herself up slowly, hand over hand, and then…

Her heart stopped in her throat. The last three years she had spent waiting for this one moment. Her faith had wavered every once and a while, on those cold, lonely nights that she spent crying in her bed, but she had never doubted that she would see him once more. And there, right in front of her face was a clawed hand clad in a red robe. It was within grabbing distance. Kagome felt the life rush back into her soul. Smiling the biggest smile that she had in three long years, Kagome grasped the hand tightly. The next moment seemed like a blur as she felt herself being hauled upward, much faster than she could have ever climbed herself.

In what seemed like a lifetime, Kagome was finally pulled over the side of the well. The strength with which he pulled her was so strong that she found herself standing above him, perched on the ledge of the well. She had finally come out on the right side of the well. Finally, after three long years, she found herself face to face with the man that had stolen her heart.

She could feel tears starting to build in her eyes, but she did not let them fall. She knew how much he hated to see her cry. Her voice caught in her throat as she took in his face. His bright golden eyes met her deep brown ones. They studied each other for a moment more before Kagome finally broke the silence.

"Inuyasha, I'm sorry. Were you waiting?" Her voice sounded shaky, as the first tear broke free from her hold. She continued to smile as she looked nowhere except for into his eyes. _Those eyes. I've missed them so much. _

"Kagome." She had dreamed of him saying her name almost every night since she had seen him last. Her name sounded so sweet on his lips. She gasped as, out of nowhere, he grabbed her and pulled her tightly to himself. She continued to smile as her eyes slid shut peacefully and she wrapped her fingers into the front of his haori.

"You idiot. What have you been up to?" She was back. Kagome was finally back in his arms. It was right where she knew she wanted to be for the rest of her life. She laughed lightly at his first words to her. _Oh, Inuyasha. I wouldn't have wanted to hear anything else. _

Before he could kiss her or tell her his feelings or even do anything, Miroku and Sango came upon the well with their children. Shippo trailed by their side. They were all curious about Inuyasha's behavior and why he had suddenly taken off towards the well.

"Ka…" Shippo's voice locked in his throat at the sight of the girl that he had thought he would never see again, standing right before him. She held tightly to Inuyasha's arms, but turned her body towards the group approaching her. More tears fell down her face at the sight of the friends that she had missed more than she thought possible. Shippo froze in sight of the girl…no, woman that stood before him. He was afraid that if he finished her name or moved that it would all disappear and he would wake up.

"Kagome!" Sango recovered from the shock first. She screamed her best friend's name and quickly ran to the well. Her newly born son bounced slightly in the wrapping that was around her back. She stopped in front of Kagome, tears already falling down her face. Kagome smiled brightly at her friend, before noticing the small bundle on Sango's back and the two dark-haired girls in Miroku's arms.

"You had children," Kagome exclaimed excitedly. Sango just blushed and nodded. With the tension broken, Shippo quickly bound into Kagome's arms. Sango followed suit and wrapped her arms tightly around her long-lost friend. Her twin girls watched with curiosity from their father's arms.

The monk stared at the return of the girl from the future. He rubbed his eyes once just to make sure that this was really happening. A grin broke out on his face, as his eyes grew teary as well. Kagome, Sango, and Shippo continued to cry and cling to each other, smiles on their faces. Kagome briefly wondered how she could be smiling and crying at the same time. 

The group chatted for a bit before Miroku interrupted Shippo's billionth question to the miko.

"Come on Shippo. Let us all head back to the village and give Kagome and Inuyasha some time." For what, he didn't say, but he knew that Inuyasha had missed Kagome more than any of them. And for that, he deserved some time with her. The small family dragged Shippo away from the well. He yelled in protest that he wanted to spend more time with Kagome, but Miroku and Sango simply ignored him and dragged him back to the village with them.

Inuyasha turned from looking at the retreating group and back at the woman that he held in his arms. He hadn't let her go, even when the others had shown up. He kept a tight grip on her arms. Kagome was fine with this; she never wanted to let of him either. She was afraid that if she stopped holding on to him, or stopped staring into those bright golden eyes, that he would disappear again. She glanced behind her at the well, afraid that it would swallow one of them up again.

Her mind went over everything that she had thought of to say to Inuyasha while she spent the three long years away from his side. But all of her thoughts turned to mush now that she was back with him. She wanted nothing more than to just stare at his face and feel his warm embrace around her. So, she waited for Inuyasha to say something to her. Anything would do, any words to just let her know that she was still welcome to stay here, with him. Any words that…

Kagome froze in place as she Inuyasha pressed his lips gingerly against hers. He pulled her closer to himself, pushing more aggressively against her now. In response, she parted her lips and kissed him back, as the heat from his body intermingled with her own and sparks seemed to shoot down her spine. Time seemed to stand still as Kagome laced her arms around the hanyou's neck and gently rubbed one ear with her fingertips, just like she had always imagined that she would. Inuyasha's only response was a light growl of pleasure as he pulled her even closer into himself. The miko had only one thought as she swirled around in the bliss that was brought on by her very first real kiss with Inuyasha.

_Finally…_


	2. Kaede

Thanks for the few reviews that I have gotten! I appreciate everyone that has read, even if you didn't review.

Again, I do not own any of the characters in Inuyasha. They are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi!

"At that time, I was just relieved to be able to send Kagome home." The sun was shining down on the small herb garden as the old woman dug gently through the dirt, pulling plants out that she needed. She glanced up at the half demon that was speaking to her. His face spoke even more than his revealing words did. This was the first time in three years that Inuyasha had come to talk to her about why Kagome had never returned with him when the well came back.

She had never doubted his motives.

"So you're saying you came back yourself." It was a statement rather than a question. She knew generally what had happened, but she knew that if she didn't say anything, that this odd opening up to her that Inuyasha was doing would stop. She didn't look at his face, for fear of him clamming up. Instead, she concentrated on her work.

"Yeah, I guess. Kagome's mom and brother and grandpa were all crying and stuff. I'm not the only who Kagome is important to, after all..." Kaede smiled to herself at the young man's words. _Maybe those two being apart was needed for him to finally realize his feelings. _The old woman winced as pain echoed through her hands. "Arthritis", Kagome had called it.

"Inuyasha, when did you become so wise?" Before Kaede could say more to comfort the obviously grieving Inuyasha, she sensed a slight aura. Shippo popped into the air above her. He was in his pink balloon form.

"I know." He stated simply, still loving to get under the half demon's skin.

"Shippo," Kaede stated. She saw the angry look that was growing on the hanyou's face. If Shippo said much more, the old woman knew that a fight would start and likely ruin her herb garden that she had spent so much time on. Alone. She sighed slightly remembering the immense help that Kagome had been with priestess chores.

"You were off taking the kitsune exam, weren't you?" Kaede tried to diffuse the situation.

"I advanced!" Shippo proudly showed Kaede his slip saying that he had advanced three classes. He transformed back into his original form. The moment he jumped onto Inuyasha's head, Kaede knew there was no going back. She sighed.

"Inuyasha, you've been going in to the well once every three days, haven't you?" Kaede saw the look on Inuyasha's face go from one of mild annoyance to full blown anger. She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. _These children will be the early death of me. _

Rather than pick a fight, Inuyasha simply grabbed Shippo and kicked him across the field. Kaede was impressed by both the information that Shippo had supplied and by the distance that Shippo was launched.

"Once every three days? What amazing tenacity." A frown grew on the old woman's face. Through all that she had seen in her lifetime, through the tragedy of losing her sister-twice, through battling demons and trying to keep the people of her village alive, but inevitably losing a few, she had never witnessed anything as tragic as what Inuyasha was going through. And she imagined that it had to be even worse for the kind-hearted girl that she had found be almost like a daughter to her.

_Even so, they cannot see each other. Kagome appeared with the Shikon no Tama, and disappeared with it as well._ That last thought hung in her head as she recalled when Kagome had appeared and when mistress centipede ripped the jewel out of Kagome's side. A jewel that Kagome herself hadn't realized was there.

_Kagome came here to vanquish the Shikon no Tama. Her purpose in this world…is likely over. _ That final thought hung in Kaede's head as she watched Inuyasha stare off into the distance. He had been doing that a lot since the young miko had disappeared, seemingly taking a large chunk of Inuyasha with her.

Still…she had left behind evidence of her time in the era. When Inuyasha had first been released from the tree, no, even before then, he was a hardened killer. Even Kikyo hadn't broken through the seal that he had placed around himself. But, slowly, Kagome had been able to heal his wounds and mend his broken heart. Kaede knew, even without either of them admitting it, that they loved one another dearly.

_That's what makes this so heartbreaking…_

Kaede painfully got to her feet. Her bones ached every day now, even with the slightest of movements. Gasping slightly from the pain, Kaede reached down for her basket of freshly picked herbs.

"Don't overexert yourself, old woman," Inuyasha grumbled as he placed a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder. He held her back from bending down to reach the basket and instead retrieved it himself. Kaede smiled slightly.

"Thank ye, Inuyasha," she muttered, ignoring the part where he called her old.

Together, the two made their way back to the village in complete silence. Kaede's thoughts once again made their way to the young time-traveler that had disappeared three years ago.

Once she reached her hut, Kaede separated from the young hanyou.

"Are ye heading to Miroku and Sango's hut, Inuyasha?" She took the basket of herbs from him with a thankful nod.

"Keh! Not much else to do around here!" Without a second glance, he bound off towards the newest hut in the village. Kaede shook her head. _Without Kagome around, he is becoming a restless nuisance. _The older miko looked towards the forest that housed the well with a forlorn expression on her face. A strange feeling echoed through her, but she couldn't quite place it.

_I feel like today is going to be a good day._ Smiling, Kaede entered her hut and set to the task of sorting and drying her herbs.


	3. Miroku

He woke up with a light heart. As his eyes scanned the little family that he had created, a smile grew upon his face. His azure eyes settled upon the newest addition to the family, his new little baby boy. Before pushing himself to his feet, Miroku let his gaze settle upon his lovely young wife. Kissing her gently upon the cheek, the young monk finally stood up, leaving the warmth of the bed behind him.

_I never thought that I would get to live a life quite like this._ As the thought crossed his mind, Miroku's gaze wandered to his right hand. The hand that he had once been sure would be the death of him. Smiling once more, Miroku finished putting on his clothes and grabbed his staff. Sparing one last glance to his peacefully sleeping family, the monk pushed aside the door and stepped out into the now-peaceful village.

The sun was just peeking up from the horizon and Miroku watched solemnly as the very first rays of the new day touched upon the earth around him. Sitting cross-legged in front of his home, the monk slowly cleared his mind and began his meditation- something that he did every morning at dawn, without fail.

Just as he felt his mind go blank, Miroku felt something placed on the back of his head. Groaning inwardly, he knew exactly who it was. Allowing his head to be pushed downward, Miroku made no comment to enrage the beast. He sighed inwardly.

"Yo," came a voice from behind him. Miroku peered slyly from seemingly closed eyes at the red clad hanyou that stood on one foot behind him. The other foot was pressed firmly to the back of Miroku's own head. Still choosing to remain stoic, as he had been taught, Miroku made no comment. He took in Inuyasha's tense posture-the tightly crossed arms, the deep frown, and the coldness in his eyes.

"How's the new brat doin'?" Deciding to ignore the hanyou's remark of his newest son being a brat, Miroku took it upon himself to provide divine intervention…on his own behalf. Ducking his body below Inuyasha's foot, Miroku grabbed his staff and whipped it underneath the one leg that Inuyasha was standing on. Catching the normally agile hanyou off guard, Miroku stood up straight, and, dusting off his robes, he peered calmly down at the red-clad figure that now lay in the dust. Seemingly relaxed, Miroku waited for the hanyou's next move. His mouth dropped open at the strange thing that the hanyou did next.

He laughed. It took Miroku a few moments to realize that the noise emanating from Inuyasha's mouth was indeed laughter. Since Kagome had left, he had rarely seen Inuyasha smile, let alone break out in something as joyous as laughter.

"Nice one, monk," he said between laughs. "Now help me up, would ya?" Miroku stared in awe at the clawed hand that was extended his way. Handing the end of his golden staff to Inuyasha, Miroku remembered what yesterday was. Not only was it the birth of his son, but it was also the three-year anniversary of the day that Inuyasha came back. Alone.

It took Miroku until he was falling to realize his mistake. Inuyasha caught him off guard as he pulled swiftly on the monk's staff, sending him tumbling to the ground. Miroku let out an "oof" as he hit the dirt, landing unceremoniously next to the silver haired hanyou.

Inuyasha smirked down from where he was sitting to where Miroku was sprawled upon the ground. Miroku glared up at Inuyasha…before breaking into a chorus of laughter himself. This caused Inuyasha to start laughing once more.

"What's going on out here?" Miroku's laughter was quelled by the woman's voice from the doorway. _Oops, I woke up Sango. She is definitely not a morning person._

"Ahh, good morning, my dear Sango," Miroku said in his most soothing voice. From the glare that was still present on her face, the monk knew that his charm hadn't worked on her. Miroku quickly scrambled to his feet. From behind him, he could hear the shuffling that meant Inuyasha was once again on his feet as well. Sango opened her mouth to scold her husband for awakening her with his loud noise making, when the newborn baby began crying from inside.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Sango huffed and returned back into the hut. Miroku let out a sigh. _Saved by my one-day-old son. I shall have to remember to thank him someday when he's older. _

"Inuyasha, will you be joining us for breakfast?" Miroku turned and faced the hanyou. The cold eyes and deep-set frown were once again upon his face. It seemed that the brief moment of happiness that Miroku had witnessed was gone. He sighed inwardly to himself. _Poor Inuyasha. Without Kagome around, it seems that he has nobody to smile for. _Miroku's thoughts drifted to the previous night, the eve of the three-year anniversary of Kagome's absence from all of their lives.

"_I wonder what happened to Kagome?" Sango had said to Miroku, while all three of their children slept alongside her. Miroku was laying along side his wife, one arm propping his head up while the other was wrapped firmly around her waist. _

"_Yeah…it's already been three years since then." He had replied quietly as a sense of deep sorrow filled the room. He knew that Sango missed her friend, maybe even more than he did. Kagome had been the glue that had held their group together. Without her, he would have never met Sango. He would never have lived long enough to start a family. _

"_I wonder if she returned… to that other world Inuyasha speaks of?" Sango's words had broken up his dreary thoughts. 'That's right. All that matters is that she is safe.'_

"_Inuyasha doesn't talk about it much, but he did once say that there were other people who need and love Kagome," Miroku thought aloud. He remembered all the times that Kagome had mentioned her mother or her brother. She had also mentioned a grandfather that had been the shrine keeper. He knew that she had family on the other side of the well, but he had never really thought thoroughly about it until she had disappeared. He could understand that she would want to be with them. _

"_Inuyasha…I wonder if he's lonely," Sango had said, barely above a whisper. Miroku had glanced down at her face and saw a tear quietly snaked its way down her cheek. She hastily whipped it away, and the monk had smiled slightly to himself. 'Even now, she still hates to be viewed as weak.' Without answered her remark, Miroku lowered himself down to her side and kissed her passionately. Wrapping both arms around her, Miroku had fallen asleep with a sad smile upon his face. _

"Keh, I guess so. As long as you can keep those damn twins of yours off of me." Miroku held back the door as Inuyasha walked into his hut, his arms tucked into his sleeves and a frown still upon his face. _I hope you return soon, Kagome. I don't think Inuyasha can last much longer without you. _Miroku glanced into the sky and noticed a final star that was still fighting against the coming of the day. He silently wished for the return of his beloved friend as he watched the star vanish into the daylight.

After breakfast, Inuyasha had disappeared, as he did often. Miroku took all three children for a walk to allow Sango some time to rest. She was a tough woman, but she had just been through 14 hours of labor the previous day, and even she needed rest every once and a while. With the newborn sleeping strapped to his back and a twin in each arm, the young monk sent out on a slow walk through the village.

By now, the sun was shining brilliantly and the village was bubbling with life. Village men were working in the fields, preparing for a new growing season, as the women were taking care of children, cooking, or gossiping. Waving to a small group of women, Miroku smirked as they giggled and waved back. _I'm still an impossible flirt, but there is no one as dear to me as Sango anymore. _

Miroku stopped for a moment as he neared Kaede's hut on the outskirts of the small village. His eyes lit up as he saw a red-clad figure sitting on a fence, seemingly looming over the older woman that was busily digging her hands into the dirt, pulling out herbs from her small garden. He watched her wince in pain before gently massaging her lower back. _She could use some help, from a fellow miko…_Once more, the monk's mind drifted to Kagome and how she used to be such a great help to the old miko.

The young monk watched for a moment more as Inuyasha and Kaede continued their conversation. Sighing to himself, Miroku turned around and headed back to his hut. He felt the newborn start to fuss on his back.

"Suki, take your sister's hand so that I can take care of your new brother, alright?" Miroku smiled at his daughters. Suki beamed back up at her father as she released his hand and moved to his left side and held her sister's hand. Still holding onto his other daughter's hand, Miroku carefully lifted the young boy out of the sling on his back and started to gently rock him as his fussing turned into full-blown crying. Sango emerged from their hut with a smile on her face. Kissing her husband's cheek, she took the infant from him and headed inside.

"Little Chiri is hungry, isn't he?" She cooed to him as she made her way inside.

"Girls, why don't you go and play with the other village children, hm?" Miroku watched as his twin girls ran off towards the town square, giggling the entire way. _This is exactly what I wanted my future to look like. But I can't help but feel like something is missing. _

Gazing into the distance, Miroku found himself looking towards the forest of Inuyasha, which was where the well that had brought the lovely maiden Kagome to their time. Only she was trapped on the other side. Miroku looked away. It hurt too much to think of her as being kept away forever. _For Inuyasha's sake, she has to return. And I hope that it is soon._

"Doggy! Doggy! Doggy!" Miroku glanced up from where he was hanging a blanket on the clothesline. He smiled to himself at the sight of his two twin girls climbing all over the hanyou. _To think, before he met Kagome, he never would have let children climb on him. But now, I would trust him with their lives. _

Miroku met his wives eyes and shared a private smile with her. The scene was comical, at least to the bystanders. Inuyasha did nothing but cross his arms as the two girls used him as a mountain.

"You're a toy," the fox kitsune chipped in as he watched from a safe distance while idly playing with one of his tops. Miroku knew that Shippo was enjoying the torture of the hanyou just as much as Miroku himself was. Snickering quietly, the monk helped Sango to hang another clothing item.

"Hey, do something about the twins," Inuyasha demanded. He remained, as he was, arms crossed and a scowl upon his face. Yet, he did nothing to get away from the two toddlers. He could have easily done so, but he didn't. Miroku knew that he secretly loved the two little girls, but love wasn't something that the hanyou openly admitted. _I wonder if he even had a chance to tell that to Kagome, before she…_He let his thought die. There was no proof that the hanyou wouldn't get another chance to let the fair miko know his true feelings.

"Not the ears kids," Miroku half-heartedly commanded. He knew children had a tendency of doing exactly what they were told not to, so it was no surprise when one of them reached up and yanked on one of Inuyasha's white ears. The dog-demon didn't show any sign of caring, aside from his scowl deepening, which Miroku didn't think was possible.

"Sorry, Inuyasha." Sango apologized and gave him one last glance before returning to her chore. Their baby boy was still sleeping peacefully upon her back.

Inuyasha suddenly sniffed into the air. Miroku watched as the hanyou seemed to drown out everything around him. The silver haired young man sniffed only once more before he finally made his move. He held both twins in one hand by their waistbands and held them out above Shippo, who suddenly realized that he was a bit too close to the action.

"Go slay the kitsune," Inuyasha stated simply. Miroku thought that he detected a hint of desperation in the hanyou's voice. Without another word, the hanyou climbed quickly to his feet.

"Slay!" "Shippo!" The two twins set about their tasks of "slaying" the kitsune with no complaints. Miroku's attention was directed towards Inuyasha though, who was acting more strange than usual. He was on his feet and staring off in the direction of the well. His nose kept twitching and his face held a look of complete and utter disbelief. _It can't be!_ Miroku thought as he watched Inuyasha with great curiosity.

"Hey, Inuyasha! What's this all of a sudden?" Shippo shouted angrily from underneath the two twins. For Inuyasha, it was no problem when both children climbed on him. He was big enough to accommodate them both. But Shippo, being as small as he was, was easily dwarfed by the two and found himself buried beneath a pile of children.

Inuyasha gave no response as he suddenly darted off towards the forest of Inuyasha and, more importantly, the well. Miroku could feel his heart pounding in his throat. He shared one look with Sango, but that was all either of them needed. Without a word, Miroku scooped up both twins into his arms. He watched as Sango abandoned the laundry and gave him a nod. The chores would have to wait. If this was what they thought it was, then it was a million times more important.

"What is going on?" Shippo hopped onto Miroku's shoulder since Sango was still a little weak from giving birth. Miroku and Sango both set out at a reasonable pace towards the well. _Shippo must have missed the cues._

The young kitsune's question hung in the air and no one spoke for the duration of the walk. Miroku stole occasional glances at Sango. Her face looked excited, yet reserved. He knew that she didn't want to get her hopes up._ Kami, let this be really happening. We have missed our friend so much! _

The walk seemed to take forever. Everyone seemed lost in his or her own thoughts. Miroku wondered what it would be like to see Kagome again. What it would be like for her to finally be with them all again. It felt as though a long-lost family member was returning home at last. He reminded himself not to get too worked up. After all, maybe Inuyasha had smelt danger and that was why he had run off._ You know that isn't true. That look on his face wasn't one of danger._

Finally, the small troupe reached the hill that lead up to the well. Holding his breath, Miroku took the last few steps to seeing the crest of the hill. He felt as if his heart had stopped and time seemed to stand still.

Shippo, who still hadn't seemed to realize what everyone was so worked up about, spoke first.

"Ka…!" The young boy was so shocked that his voice died in his throat. He pointed incredulously at the young maiden with raven hair that was being held protectively in the arms of Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" Sango found her voice as well as she screamed out her best friend's name. Miroku could see the tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at Kagome for the first time in three years.

Miroku said nothing, but watched the scene in pure shock. He had hoped, and prayed, that this day would come, but now that it was here, it seemed unreal. He felt that if he moved too suddenly, that everything would fall apart. He watched as Kagome smiled her brilliant smile that he hadn't realized that he missed. He noticed the look of peace on Inuyasha's face. It replaced the usual scowl or frown that Miroku had gotten used to. That was something that Miroku realized he wouldn't miss.

"Miroku, Sango, Shippo. I'm back." Kagome spoke her first words to the little family and the kitsune. Miroku looked down and noticed his twins staring at Kagome as if she was a fairytale come to life. They had told them many stories about the time-travelling girl, so it was no surprise to him.

"You had children," Kagome exclaimed excitedly. Miroku grinned when Sango blushed and nodded. The tension was finally broken and Shippo bound into Kagome's arms, saying her name over and over. Sango followed suit and ran to her friend's side, wrapping her arms around the miko who had grown from a girl into a woman. Miroku watched as Inuyasha reluctantly let go of Kagome and watched from the sidelines. _He doesn't want to share, but he would do anything for Kagome's happiness. He knows that we have missed her as well. _

Miroku continued to simply watch, tears slightly misting his eyes. He watched as the three continued to hold on to each other for dear life, everyone muttering things all at once.

It took a while for the two girls and the kitsune to calm down, but once they did, Miroku cleared his throat to interrupt the conversation. He noticed the look of longing on Inuyasha's face and decided that his friend deserved alone time with the miko more than any of them.

"Come on Shippo. Let us all head back to the village and give Kagome and Inuyasha some time." He didn't announce what they needed time for, but he knew that at least Sango understood. She wiped her tears away from her face and took their young son out of Kagome's arms. The raven-haired girl smiled at Sango and gave her another brief hug. Miroku had to drag Shippo away by his tail and the young family ignored his rants of protest as he was forcefully removed from Kagome's presence.

Miroku spared one last glance up at the two and his heart shined as he witnessed Inuyasha pull Kagome into a fierce and long-awaited kiss. He couldn't help but smile at the thought that Inuyasha had waited three long years just to do something as simple as kiss the girl he loved, something that Miroku could do any time he wanted with Sango. Planting a loving kiss on his wife's lips, Miroku had only one thought…

_Finally…

* * *

_

_Thank you all for reading! I appreciate the support! Sorry that these chapters have been taking so long to post! I will probably be much better now that I am on winter break! _

:)


	4. Shippo

Shippo

The sunlight blared through the trees, shedding dappled light onto the path that wound through the forest. It was a beautiful spring day as a young village man walked at a steady pace, a load of fresh firewood perched on his back. He smiled a small smile at the peaceful woods around him.

_SNAP._

The villager spun his head towards the sudden noise to his left. Tightening his hold on his cargo, he quickened his pace slightly. Laughing to himself nervously, he mentally chasticized himself for being such a chicken. _It's only a small forest creature. _

_SNAP!_

The sound was closer this time. The villager didn't spare the forest a look, but instead quickened his pace even farther. He was almost running now as his sandals beat down on the dirt path. He could feel a cold sweat developing on his forehead despite his best efforts to remain calm. Mental images of terrible demons with blood soaked claws and teeth filled his mind.

When the bright blue sky above him turned into an inky black, the young man felt a scream escape his throat. Suddenly, what he assumed was a demon began to appear directly in front of him from a swirling vortex of demonic energy. The villager's eyes widened as he lost his footing and fell backwards. Slamming hard onto the load of wood that was on his back, the man instantly detached his cargo and ran off screaming down the path.

"Please don't kill me! Ahhhhh!" The young man quickly vanished into the distance without looking back. The moment he was out of sight, the sky instantly cleared and in the place of a horrible looking demon was a small fox child with blazing orange hair and bright green eyes. A large grin grew on his face as a piece of paper appeared in front of him.

"Yes! Up to 12th already!" Shippo cheered and spun in a circle with his newest achievement held tightly in his little paw.

"Wow! Is that true Shippo? Twelfth already?"

"Shippo! Congratulations"

"Yaaay, Shippo!"

A weasel, raccoon, and squirrel demon appeared seemingly from thin air to congratulate their friend. Shippo simply nodded his thanks and stared at the paper once more. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Shippo was on his way. Changing himself into a very convincing bird, the young fox demon made his way through the skies. _I can't wait to show Kaede and the others!_

As he flew away from the kitsune academy and towards the village that had changed his life, Shippo couldn't help but feel a little sad. _The one person who I REALLY want to show this to isn't here anymore._

Shippo remembered waiting for three days for his favorite person in the world to return. He was almost sick with worry for her safety. He knew that Inuyasha wouldn't let any harm befall her, but that didn't mean that he didn't want her with him instead. _Stupid Inuyasha!_

He remembered being angry. Angry that Inuyasha was the one who got to rescue Kagome and he couldn't even help, not even a little! It was so unfair! Just because he was little, everyone thought he was worthless.

Everyone but Kagome. She knew that he was destined for great things. So when the well finally reappeared and Inuyasha was the only one to come out in a pillar of light, Shippo felt so angry and sad that he couldn't stop the tears that flowed down his face. And when Inuyasha simply muttered, "She is safe", Shippo felt his heart break and he wanted nothing more than to beat up the hanyou for losing his surrogate mother.

The only thing that stopped his tongue from yelling until he lost his voice was the look on the hanyou's face. Shippo had never seen Inuyasha look so downtrodden. His eyes were dull and lifeless and instead of holding his head high and arrogant, his eyes were downcast and face was twisted into the deepest frown Shippo had ever seen. His white ears were droopy and his arms hung weakly at his sides. Without another word, the hanyou simply walked past Shippo, Miroku, and Sango and headed towards the forest.

Shippo was pulled back into the present as he descended on the human village that had grown to be like a home to him, as well as his other friends. It was hard to find humans that accepted demons, let alone an entire village of them. As the young fox demon made his descent, he noticed Kaede and Inuyasha talking on the outskirts of the village. Kaede was knuckle deep in dirt while Inuyasha simply watched, perched on the wooden fence nearby.

Inuyasha. The familiar hatred churned in his gut, but it was only a mild annoyance by now. It had taken the fox demon almost a year to get over his extreme hatred of the hanyou. He blamed him for losing Kagome and for the possibility of never getting to see his foster mother ever again. Now, though, he realized that Inuyasha was only doing what was right. Through eavesdropping, he had learned that Kagome was left with her family and friends, other people that loved her. _But I love her too. Why did she have to be taken away from me? _

Shippo caught the tail end of Inuyasha and Kaede's conversation as he made his final descent.

"…not the only person Kagome is important to after all," he heard Inuyasha mutter, his eyes averted towards the sun that was close to setting on the horizon. The dark orange color reflected over the water in the many rice patty fields. Shippo sighed in happiness as he quietly landed behind Kaede. _I'm home…_

"Inuyasha. When did you become so wise?" Kaede continued her conversation, seemingly not noticing Shippo, which brought a smile to his face. He had become much better at kitsune magic, and he was able to escape and hide very efficiently now. He decided to make his presence known.

"I know," the young fox demon said cheerily, trying to get a rise from Inuyasha. The hanyou simply stared at him, a deathly look in his eyes.

"Shippo," Kaede stated, greeting the young demon. He could hear the amusement in her voice, and he decided to push Inuyasha further. He still enjoyed tormenting Inuyasha. His mind searched for something else to tease the dog with.

He remembered his most recent spying expedition and how he had tracked Inuyasha all the way to the old well. The well that had stolen Kagome away from him. He watched from a distance as Inuyasha jumped into the well. Shippo held his breath as Inuyasha vanished into the depths of the well. He found himself praying to every kitsune god that he could think of that Inuyasha would be able to cross through the well and bring Kagome back. Tears came to his emerald eyes when Inuyasha hopped back out of the well alone.

Inuyasha stood by the side of well before collapsing to his knees beside it. Shippo's breath caught in his throat as the sun reflected off of the tears that wound their way down the hanyou's face. He quietly snuck away, not wanting Inuyasha to pound him for witnessing such a display of weakness. Shippo continued to spy on the hanyou and learned that he visited the well every three days, without fail.

"Inuyasha, you've been going to the well once every three days, haven't you?" Shippo let the information slip, a mischievous smile growing on his face. He watched as Inuyasha's face changed into a deep shade of red and a growl escaped his lips. Before he could begin to run, Inuyasha was upon him and had him by the tail. Shippo saw the dangerous glint in the hanyou's eyes, and he decided not to reveal the more intimate parts of what he witnessed.

He braced himself as he felt Inuyasha's arm muscles tense up. He struggled to free himself as Inuyasha wound up and chucked him out over the forest that surrounded the village.

"Once every three days? What amazing tenacity," he heard Kaede say as he flew through the air, traveling a good distance before transforming himself into a bird once more. _Stupid Inuyasha…_

He pictured what would happen if Kagome were there. He smiled in satisfaction as he imagined Kagome shouting out "SIT!" multiple times as Inuyasha's body was slammed into the ground mercilessly. He snickered at Inuyasha's expense as he circled through the air, admiring the village beneath him. He missed her saying that word and punishing Inuyasha. He missed her, period.

The kitsune circled through the air for a few hours, testing the duration and strength of his transformation. The three years of kitsune training had done him wonders. He could now transform into almost anything, and all without his tail showing! Shippo finally landed, simultaneous turning back into his fox form as he hit the ground.

A smile lit on his face when he thought of Kagome once more. He could picture her kind smile and proud eyes as he told her about how he had become a much better demon. He could see her clapping gleefully as he flawlessly changed into many different forms for her. Shippo could see her warm hazel eyes staring at him, could remember the feel of her arms around his small frame. He desired to perch on her slender shoulders and hide within her ebony locks once more.

He could feel tears building in his eyes once more, and he hastily wiped them away with the back of his paw. _Kagome isn't here to wipe away my tears anymore, so I will have to do it myself._ A sense of pride built in the small demon as he thought about how grown up he had become. He thought about how proud Kagome would be. And he thought, for the millionth time in the past three years, how much he missed her.

Shippo found himself where he usually resided when he came home: at Sango and Miroku's, watching with satisfaction as their children picked on Inuyasha mercilessly. He snickered and waited diligently for the hanyou to snap and hurt one of the little girls on accident, which would result in Miroku and Sango beating him. Shippo could clearly see it in his mind: Sango whacking Inuyasha across the head with her Hirakotsu while Miroku sutraed Inuyasha in place. The fox demon's green eyes sparkled at the mere thought.

So far, Inuyasha hadn't done anything but growl lowly and complain. It shocked Shippo how grown up the hanyou had become. He was much different from how he used to be. The smile dropped from Shippo's face as he thought of the reason behind the hanyou's more somber personality. Kagome had been gone for three whole years now, and as much as the fox demon hated to admit it, Inuyasha was taking Kagome's disappearance the hardest.

But, Inuyasha had changed even before that. Kagome had done that as well. Shippo remembered first meeting Inuyasha, and how rash, rude, and cruel he was. He didn't seem to care about anyone, not even Kagome. The kitsune had watched as Kagome healed Inuyasha's heart and he had watched as Inuyasha and Kagome grew to love one another. They thought he was just a stupid kid that didn't notice anything, but how could anyone miss that look that she got in her eyes when she was looking at him? Or the furiousness with which Inuyasha fought to protect the miko, putting his life on the line time after time to save hers.

"Doggy! Doggy! Doggy!" Shippo trained his attention back to the humorous scene before him. The twin girls were scaling the dog demon like he was mountain, pulling on his clothing and his rosary necklace. The fox demon shook his head in mock shame at the predicament that Inuyasha had gotten himself into.

"You're a toy," he said aloud, hearing the growl that Inuyasha was admitting grow a fraction louder and deeper. He doubted the humans detected the subtle change. It was so easy to anger Inuyasha! And Shippo enjoyed it every time.

"Hey, do something about the twins," Inuyasha grumbled, not really entirely paying attention to what the two small girls were doing to him. His gaze was somewhere off in the distance, like it had been ever since Kagome left.

"Not the ears kids," Miroku yelled over his shoulder while hanging a blanket on the laundry line. Shippo remembered how Kagome had shown them all how to make a laundry line. It was simply a branched tree limb stuck into one end of the ground with twine that tied from the ends of the two branches to the side of the hut. It definitely beat hanging clothing in the trees. It was just one more piece of evidence that Kagome had forever impacted their lives.

Of course, the moment that Miroku told his children not to go for Inuyasha's ears, that is exactly what they decided to tug on next. Shippo laughed at Inuyasha's misfortune once more.

"Sorry Inuyasha," Sango said, also hanging clothing on the line to dry. Her voice sounded a little more concerned than Miroku's. A little, but not much more. Shippo listened to the small baby coo on the demon slayer's back. _The newest member of our pack…_

Suddenly, Inuyasha's back straightened. Shippo was immediately at attention, his green eyes locked onto Inuyasha. He watching intently as Inuyasha's nose twitched. His ears pointed in a direction that Shippo knew very well. It was the direction of the object that brought him the most special person in the world. It was the direction where the woman who had saved his life came from.

Inuyasha was focused in the direction of the well.

Shippo opened his lips to say something, but Inuyasha held the twins in one hand above him. A cold sweat ran down Shippo's back. It was a sign that he had come to learn was his sixth sense telling him that danger was approaching.

"Go slay the kitsune," was all that Inuyasha said.

"Slay!"

"Shippo!"

His sense was right. Shippo couldn't get out of the way fast enough as two young children landed roughly on top of him. It wasn't a high enough drop to hurt the children or him, but Shippo was peeved all the same.

"Hey Inuyasha! What is this all of a sudden?" Shippo demanded angrily, glaring at Inuyasha. The half demon was ignoring him, staring intently in the same direction as before. Shippo's breath caught in his throat. _Could it be? _

Before anyone could question him, Inuyasha was gone. Shippo hadn't seen him run that fast in a long time. Not since…not since…Kagome. The kitsune's heart was suddenly beating almost too fast to bear. He paid no attention to the two giggling girls that were in a pile on top of him, pulling his fur and clothing in an attempt to 'slay' him.

Shippo tore his eyes away from the direction that Inuyasha had run in as he felt the weight of the twins being lifted off of him. He watched quietly as Sango hurriedly finished hanging the rest of the clothing and she made sure their newest baby was secured tightly on her back. Miroku held a twin in each arm. With a nod to one another, Miroku and Sango headed in the direction that Inuyasha had headed. Shippo leaped and landed on Miroku's shoulder in one easy bound.

No one said a thing as they headed down a path that none of them had used in three years. It was still so familiar. Shippo remembered racing down this very path dozens of times to greet Kagome when she came back from that world of hers. She usually had candy or treats for him, but he was mostly just glad to just see her, especially when that jerk Inuyasha made her mad and Shippo didn't know if she would ever come back.

He could feel everyone start to slow down as they approached the hill that would lead them to the final leg of their journey. Shippo squinted, but he couldn't see the well over the rise of the hill. He held his breath as Miroku took the final few steps and the well came into view. He heard that the two adult humans were holding their breaths as well.

In front of him was a sight that he had dreamed of seeing for three years. Well, with him in Kagome's arms, not that stupid Inuyasha! Shippo's jaw dropped from shock all the same. The young kitsune finally found his voice.

"Ka-" was all he managed to get out, his voice suddenly dying. He pointed with one paw at the young woman in front of him, making sure that the others were seeing her as well. He watching as she turned in Inuyasha's arms and faced their little welcoming group. For a moment, Shippo found himself transported back to the past, when they were on their journey to eliminate Naraku. He saw them all greeting Kagome as she returned, Inuyasha carrying her large yellow bag of goodies and medical supplies. The yellow bag wasn't with her, but Shippo didn't care.

"Kagome!" Sango finally managed to shout her friend's name. Shippo glanced at the slayer and noticed that the look of shock that was probably on his face was mirrored on Sango and Miroku's faces as well.

The young kitsune thought that no moment in time had ever been more perfect than this one right now. He saw the tears begin to grow in Kagome's eyes as Inuyasha kept an arm firmly wrapped around the young miko. She looked the same as Shippo remembered her, only her hair was a tad longer and she wasn't wearing her usual green and white, short kimono.

But it was Kagome. His Kagome. Their group was finally united. Shippo thought of all the new kitsune tricks that he had waiting forever to show Kagome and a small smile grew on his face.

"Miroku, Sango, Shippo. I'm back." Kagome stated simply, her voice like music to Shippo's ears and infinitely more beautiful than anything he could remember. He launched himself from Miroku's shoulder and made a beeline for Kagome's arms.

As Kagome caught him in her arms and hugged him to her tightly, he fisted his tiny paws into the soft fabric of her dress and hid his tears and face against her. He only had one thought as he cried and welcomed back his lost mother…

_Finally…_


End file.
